BALI, KILASSULAWESI– President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko “Jokowi” Widodo will chair the 2023 High-Level Meeting (HLM) of the Archipelagic and Island States (AIS) Forum on Wednesday, 11 October 2023. The event, to be held at the Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center (BNDCC) in Badung, Bali, will discuss the Leaders’ Declaration document.
Foreign Minister of Indonesia Retno L. P. Marsudi explained that the formulation of Leaders’ Declaration began at the Senior Officials Meeting (SOM) level. The material discussed during the 5th Ministerial Meeting (MM) of the AIS Forum today is the agreed outcome of the 7th SOM in Suva, Fiji, and the 8th SOM in Antananarivo, Madagascar. The ministers revisited the substance comprehensively in today’s event.
The heads of state will discuss the results of the 5th MM of the AIS Forum at the HLM of the AIS Forum on 11 October, which is expected to be agreed upon at the conclusion of the HLM. “President Jokowi will chair the plenary session of the 2023 HLM of the AIS Forum,” said Minister Retno at the Media Center for the 2023 HLM of the AIS Forum.
The Leaders’ Declaration essentially demonstrates the commitment of archipelagic and island states to establish collaboration in addressing the challenges in marine development and climate change which threaten all island and archipelagic countries. The island and archipelagic countries, including Indonesia, must be in the vanguard in marine and climate change issues, because island and archipelagic countries are inseparable from the ocean, as well as face the greatest threat of climate change’s impact.
“For Indonesia, this commitment is crucial because we are the largest archipelagic state,” said Retno. Initiating the establishment of the AIS Forum in 2017 serves as one of Indonesia’s endeavors to invite other nations to walk hand in hand in addressing the challenges that are impossible to tackle alone.
Minister Retno emphasized that the leaders’ declaration document is expected to align with the spirit of achieving Goal 14 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 14). SDG 14 explicitly states that all countries must conserve their marine ecosystems.
Currently, the average achievement in implementing SDG 14 remains at 12%, which is far from the target. The commitment of the leaders of the AIS Forum participating countries is expected to help increase this average figure.
“In implementing the SDGs, our figures are better than the global average,” concluded the minister.
Indonesian President arrived at I Gusti Ngurah Rai International Airport in Badung Regency on Tuesday, 10 October, at around 5:00 PM local time. President Joko Widodo was welcomed by Acting Governor of Bali S.M. Mahendra Jaya, Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces Admiral Yudo Margono, Chief of the Indonesian National Police General Listyo Sigit Prabowo, Head of the National Intelligence Agency Budi Gunawan, Director General of Protocol and Consular Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Andy Rachmianto, and Minister of Tourism and Creative Economy Sandiaga Uno.(*)
